System of lighting by arc-lamps.



R. FLEMING. SYSTEM OF LIGHTING BY ARQLAMPS. AP PLIOATION FILED MAR. 6, 1907.

Witnesses Inventor Richard Re ning, v6 m.

Patented Jan. 26, I909.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrrcn.

RICHARD FLEMING, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR To GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SYSTEM OF LIGHTING- BY ARC-LAMPS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 26, 1909.

To all whom it may concern:-

Be it known that I, RICHARD FLEMING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lynn, county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Systems of Lighting by Arc-Lamps, of which the following is a specification.

When an arc lamp having electrodes of dissimilar material is operated on alternating current, a certain amount of rectification takes place, the extent thereof depending upon the nature of the electrodes. When a number of such are lamps are connected in series with each other, the rectifying action of all of the lamps. is cumulative so that, when they are operated from a constant current transformer in the ordinary way, an extremely poor power factor is obtained. I have found that these difficulties may be ovorcmne by connecting half the total number of lamps reversely with respect to the others. In this way a balancing action is obtained, for the reason that no more resistance is offered to the flow of current in one direction than in the other, and the load on the transformer does not change at each alteration of the current.

In the accompanying drawing I have shown diagrammatically a circuit including a constant current transformer and a number of arc lamps arranged in accordance with my 357,460, filed jointly by myself and Emile J.

Guay, wherein one of the electrodes is carbon and the other titanium carbid. My invention is not limited, however, to this particular form of lamp, but is applicable to any lamps wherein a tendency to current rectification exists.

1 to 4 indicate the titanium carbid electrodes, and 1 to 4 the carbon electrodes of the four lamps. The lamps are also provided with individual regulating mechanism 1 to 4, which, however, constitute no part of the present invention. Electrode 1 of the first lamp is connected to one terminal of the transformer through conductor 6; electrode 2) is connected to electrode?) through conductor 7; electrode 3 is connected to electrode 4" through conductor 8; and electrode 4 is connected to the other terminal of the transformer through conductor 9. Thus it will be seen that lamps 1 and 2, and lamps 3 and 4, are connected reversely toeach other, namely: The carbid electrodes of the two groups are con nected to opposite sides of the circuit, so that when corresponding electrodes in the first two lamps are the negative electrodes .the same electrodes in the other two lamps are the positive electrodes. flowing, lamps 1 and .2 tend to rectify in one direction, while the lamps 3 and 4 tend to rectify in the opposite direction. Therefore, the balance of the system is preserved and the power factor improved.

Vv'hiie I have illustrated my invention by means of four are lamps divided into two similar groups, it is of course ,evidentjhat my invention is applicable to any number of lamps divided into any desired number of groupseach containing one or more lamps connected in series and reversely with respect to each other. Furthermore, while my invention is of particular value where the current is supplied by a constant current transformer, it may be employed to advantage in connection with any suitable source of alternating current.

What I claim as new, and desire, to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is,

1. In combination, an alternating current circuit, a pair of arc lamps each having dissimilar electrodes, a connection between the corresponding electrodes of the lamps and connections between each of the other elec trodes and opposite sides of the circuit.

2. In combination, a constant current transformer, a pair of arc lamps which ofier greater resistance to flow of current in onedlrectlon than in the other, an electrical connectioil between corresponding terminals of When current 18.

the lamps, and connections between the in groups connected reversely with respect other terminals of the lamps and the termito each other. e 10 nals of the secondary of the transformer. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set 3. In combination, an alternating current my hand this fourth day of March, 1907.

5 circuit, a plurality of arc lamps which offer RICHARD FLEMING. greater resistance to flow of current in one Witnesses:

direction than in the other, and means for JOHN A. MCMANUS, J12, connecting said lamps 111 series 1n the c1rcu1t PHILIP F. HARRINGTON. 

